PhD students from the latter, Samantha Svärdh and William son Galanza, presented their preliminary findings on their work with technologies used in care for older adults (for example security alarms, medical robots, digital locks) and use of AI in monitoring activities in the homes of older adults.
– Half of those interviewed felt they were not actively involved in this. And many feel safe but at the same time trapped and surveilled in their homes. Few want home care visits to decrease. Technology cannot replace people, we need the “human touch”, says Samantha Svärdh.
William son Galanza has examined 56 different AI models, of which only five were sufficiently robust, the best being the two-sensor method. The more everyday activities, worse the quality of the activity recognition model (AI data). The placement of the sensors on the research participants' bodies is more important than the number of sensors, to get the right data.
The participants obviously want to have as few, and preferably as stylish sensors, as possible on them when their everyday activities are measured.
– AI paves the way for scalable monitoring solutions for older adults, says William son Galanza.
May affect older adults more than younger users
Postdoc Petra Holmberg and Associate Professor Ana Nordberg, Faculty of Law, discussed the critical question of how digital devices affect the safety and independence of older adults, when we rely on these tools and AI to enhance health and social care.
– Our research examined the challenges of using these objects, with a special focus on data accuracy, accessibility, and user privacy. We found several issues that may affect older adults more than younger users. First, the reliability of these devices, and the quality of the data they produce, depends heavily on how they are used. Older adults may unintentionally use them in ways that reduce data accuracy, says Ana Nordberg.
Upcoming European legislation (European Health Data Space Act) will give users more control over their data and allow them to transfer it more easily.
– But will these rights be accessible and usable for older adults? Awareness of data protection is already low among users, and older adults are especially at risk of being left out, says Petra Holmberg.
Making the needs of older adults users a priority is essential. If we don’t, we risk excluding them from the benefits of this technological shift, says the researchers.